Multiple compartment collapsible tubes



y 1969 s. PRUSSIN ETAL 3,442,424

MULTIPLE COMPARTMENT COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Filed Aug. 51. 1967 Sheet L of s 1 :62. /5 FIG. 1. 42

/0 /6 j/O 2Q f /Z k, 7 i i 4 I \y Z i F FIG-3. 34 32 I 42 2 Z6 M lNVE/VTOE 5AM Pea/554V, dox-m/ FL axe/Au EDWARD D. O'BQ/AA/ A'rrOQA/EY y 1969 s. PRUSSINA ETAL 3,442,424

MULTIPLE COMPARTMENT COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Filed Aug. 31. 1967 Sheet 2 of 3 FIG. 4

INVEAJTOES 5AM PRUSS/Al, doH/v FLOR/AN EDWARD 0. 0292/4 ATTU/QMEY United States Patent 3,442,424 MULTIPLE COMPARTMENT COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Sam Prussin and John Florian, Los Angeles, Calif., as-

signors to Rexall Drug and Chemical Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 31, 1967, Ser. No. 664,729 Int. 'Cl. B67b 7/26; B65d 35/22, 47/10 US. Cl. 222-81 31 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A collapsible tube is disclosed which has an internal piston dividing the tube into two compartments. The piston is capable of being moved towards the discharge end of the tube. Means are provided for discharging material through the piston and through the discharge end of the tube from the compartment on the side of the piston remote from this discharge end.

Background of the invention Collapsible tubes .are commonly used for shipping and dispensing a wide variety of different diverse products. As such tubes are commonly constructed they can only be used in conjunction with a single product. Occasionally tubes have been formed which are capable of being used in simultaneously dispensing two different compositions. Tubes of these types, while advantageous for many purposes, cannot be satisfactorily used in certain comparatively specialized situations.

As an example of such a situation it is sometimes considered desirable to dispense from a single tube a first composition and then to subsequently dispense from the same tube a second, different composition. In cases such as this it is normally desired to prevent intermingling of the two different compositions to as great an extent as may be reasonably necessary, depending upon the compositions.

Such two compositions may be closely related in character. Thus, the first could be a sun tan composition containing one or more agents designated to screen certain radiation and the second could be a similar sun tan lotion omitting or reducing these screening agents and perhaps including other different ingredients designed to treat skin which has previously been exposed to the suns rays. Similarly, such a first composition could be a dentifrice having certain characteristics and the second composition could be a dentifrice having different properties than the first designed to be used after the first composition. v

Such two compositions may also be entirely dissimilar in character. Thus, for example, the first composition could be one part of a two-part adhesive and the second composition could be the second part of the same adhesive, designed to catalyze the action of the first. In other cases the first composition could be intended to accomplish some particular function, and the second composition could be of a nature to accomplish some distinctly different function. Thus, the first could be a shampoo and the second a rinse composition, or the first could be a shaving cream and the second an after shave lotion. Many other different unit type applications may be advantageous.

Common collapsible tubes such as are referred to in the preceding cannot be used so as to sequentially dispense two different compositions. There is a need for tubes which can be used for this purpose with different types of materials such as the various types of materials broadly indicated in the preceding discussion.

3,442,424 Patented May 6, 1969 Brief summary of the invention A broad object of the present invention is to provide new multiple compartment collapsible tubes which are intended to fulfill this need. Another object of the present invention is to provide multiple compartment collapsible tubes which can be easily and conveniently manufactured and assembled at a comparatively nominal cost.

A further object of this invention is to provide tubes of this type with which various degrees of segregation of two different compositions or materials may be obtained as may be necessary depending upon the nature of these materials on compositions. Particularly with certain embodiments of the invention an objectof this invention is to provide multiple compartment collapsible tubes which effectively separate two or more different materials or compositions so that there is no reasonable chance of these materials intermingling.

In accordance with this invention these and other various related objectives of the invention are achieved by providing a collapsible tube having a discharge end provided with a discharge opening and a normally closed end with the improvement comprising a piston located within the tube so as to separate the tube into separate compartments, this piston being capable of being moved within the tube from an initial position intermediate the tube ends to a final position in which it fits closely against the discharge end of the tube, this piston carrying means for discharging material from the compartment remote from the discharge end of the tube through the piston and through the discharge opening when the piston is in the final position indicated. Also preferably means are provided for allowing the passage of air past the piston during the insertion of the piston within the tube during assembly. If desired, one or more other similar pistons can be located within the first mentioned piston.

Brief description of the drawings The actual character and construction of collapsible tubes falling within the scope of this invention is indicated in the following detailed description. This description is based upon the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a complete double compartment collapsible tube of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken at line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 2 showing this tube in use;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2 of a modified form or embodiment of a tube of this invention;

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 3 showing this modified tube of this invention in use;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 2 of a further modified form or embodiment of a tube of this invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional viewcorresponding to FIG. 3 of this further modified tube of this invention;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 2 of a still further modified form or embodiment of a tube of this invention;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 3 of this still further modified tube of this invention;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 2 of another embodiment or form of a collapsible tube of this invention; and

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 3 of another tube of this invention.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiments In the initial three figures of the drawing there is shown a complete double compartment collapsible tube 10 of this invention. All of the parts of this complete tube may be conveniently formed by known techniques from various known polymer compositions such as polyethylene, polypropylene, various vinyl compositions or the like. This complete tube 10 includes a conventional tube 12 having a uniform cross-sectional configuration throughout the principal portion of its length. One end 14 of the tube 12 is preferably closed in accordance with conventional practice. The other end 16 of the tube 12 may be termed a discharge end. It may be formed in conventional manner so as to have a hollow extending neck 18 provided with external threads 20 for use in attaching a cap 22 to the complete tube 10. The neck 18 serves as a discharge opening for the compelte tube 10.

Within the interior of the tube 12 there is located a piston 24. This piston 24 has a piston head or wall 26 which extends completely across the interior of the tube 12. This head or wall 26 carries a dependent, somewhat resilient skirt 28 fitting against the interior of the tube 12 and serving to stabilize the entire piston 24 so that it will not become cocked or bent within the tube 12 during normal use. The head or wall 26 carries a slightly tapered neck 30 closed by another wall 32 having at least one centrally located opening 34.

The piston 24 is constructed so that it can be moved from a normal, initial position as shown in FIG. 2 intermediate the ends 14 and 16 to a final position as shown in FIG. 3. It will be noted that the head or wall 26 is preferably shaped so as to fit closely against the interior of the end 16 in the position shown in FIG. 3. It will also noted that the neck 30 is dimensioned so as to fit closely within the interior of the neck 18. The slight taper on this neck 30 prevents it from operating as a valve closure when the piston 26 is moved into this final position and the neck 30 enters the neck 18. With this construction when the piston 24 is in the final position virtually no material can remain in a first compartment 36 of the complete tube 10, and the tube may be used for discharging material from a second compartment 38 within this tube. These two compartments are in effect defined by the piston 24 separating the interior of the tube 12 into them.

As the complete tube 10 is normally filled the end 14 is open and the end 16 is closed by the cap 22. At this point a first fluid type of material may be located within the tube 12 against the end 16 through the end 14. The piston 24 may be then inserted. In order to avoid the possibility of air being entrapped within the tube 12 as the piston 24 is inserted in this manner it is considered preferable to use at least one air venting means in conjunction with the piston 24.

The particular venting means used in the complete tube 10 comprises a series of small grooves 40 located on the periphery of the skirt 28 opposite of the interior of the tube 12. These grooves 40 are preferably of such dimension that they will permit the passage of air, but are sufficiently small so that under normal conditions materials such as may be used within the compartments 36 and 38 will not pass through them because of surface tension and other related phenomena. Other venting means as are subsequently described in connection with other embodiments of the invention may be substituted for the grooves 40 in the complete tube 10.

After the complete tube 10 has been filled with a first material and the piston 24 has been inserted within the tube 12 a second fluid type of material may be located through the end 14 against the piston 24. This end 14 may then be sealed in accordance with conventional practice. The complete tube 10 is then ready for shipment, storage and/or use. The opening 34 is preferably made sufiiciently small so that there is substantially no chance of significant intermingling of the materials within the two compartments 36 and 38 during such storage.

When the complete tube 10 is to be used, the cap 22 is, of course, removed. Pressure is then applied to the tube 12 adjacent the end 14. This pressure will be transmitted by the material within the compartment 38 to the piston 24 and thence transmitted to the material within the compartment 36, causing the latter to be discharged through the neck 18. As the compartment 36 is exhausted the piston 24 will move towards the end 16. When the material within the compartment 36 has been discharged in this manner, the piston 24 will fit against the end 16 as indicated in FIG. 3 so that there is very little or substantially none of the material which was within the compartment 36 remaining within the complete tube 10. At this point the compartment 36 is nonexistent.

As further pressure is applied to tube 12 the material within the compartment 38 will be discharged from the complete tube 10 through the opening 34. If desired, small radial grooves 42 extending outwardly from the opening 34 may be located in the wall 32 which will tend to break open as this pressure is applied since there is no material in back of the wall 32 tending to impede such breaking as this discharge from the compartment 38 continues. Such breaking will, of course, enlarged the opening 34, making it easier to discharge material from within the compartment 38.

The various embodiments of complete multiple compartment collapsible tubes shown in the subsequent FIG- URES 4 to 11 of the drawing are in many respects identical or substantially identical to the complete tube 10 previously described. In the interest of brevity those parts of these other complete tubes which are the same or substantially the same as corresponding parts of the complete tube 10 are not separately described herein, and are indicated both in this specification and in the accompanying drawings by primes of the numerals previously used to designate such parts.

In FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings there is shown a modified form or embodimentof a complete multiple compartment collapsible tube 50 of this invention which corresponds closely to the complete tube 10 previously described. In this complete tube 50 the wall and the opening 34 used in the complete tube 10 are replaced by a conical wall 52 separated from the neck 30' by a small groove 54 extending completely around the neck 30. This construction is designed so that when the compartment 36 is exhausted as indicated by FIG. 5 the wall 52 extends from the neck 18' as indicated in FIG. 5. In this position the wall 52 may easily be severed as, for example, by the use of a knife or a similar instrument along the groove 54 permitting material from within the compartment 38' to be ejected from the complete tube 50.

For certain applications it may be preferable to use within the complete tube 50 at least one air venting means corresponding to the grooves 40 previously described. With this embodiment of the invention such air venting means includes a small opening 56 located within the wall or head 26. This opening 56 is normally covered by a small resilient flap 58 attached to the wall 26' within the skirt 38'. With this construction the opening 56 acts in conjunction with the flap 58 essentially as a check valve, permitting the flow of air from the compartment 36 through the piston 24 as the piston 24 is inserted within the tube 12.

The manner of assembly of the complete tube 50 and its use are substantially identical -'with the manner of assembly and use of the complete tube 10 previously indicated except that with this embodiment of the invention the wall 52 must be severed. With this embodiment the groove 54 may be made sufiiciently deep so that upon pressure being applied to the tube 12' in order to remove material from within the compartment 38' the pressure alone will serve to break the wall 52 away from the piston 24'.

In FIGS. 6 and 7 of the drawings there is illustrated a further modified form or embodiment of a complete multiple compartment collapsible tube 70 of this invention. In this embodiment the wall 32 used in the complete tube 10 is replaced by another wall 72 of imperforate character. This wall 72 may be surrounded by a small groove 74 attaching it to the neck 30". In essence this wall 72 is intended to serve as a frangible diaphragm which is intended to be broken with contact with a sharp ring 76 attached to and inwardly spaced from the neck 18". It will be noted that the edge 78 of this spring 76 is pointed towards the wall 72.

The complete tube 70 is designed to be used in the same general manner as the tube 10. In its use, however, there is one difference. As material is exhausted from within the compartment 36" movement of the piston 24" forces the wall 72 against the edge of the ring 76. This in turn causes the wall 72 to be severed from the neck 30". Preferably the ring 76 is provided with a small notch 79 designed to eliminate entrapment of material from within the first compartment 36" between the ring 76 and the neck 18" as the piston 24 is moved to a final position as shown in FIG. 7 since such entrapment might make it diflicult to move the wall 72 into a position where it would be severed by the ring 76.

When it is desired to utilize air venting means with the piston 24" in the complete tube 70 any of the air venting means described in connection with any of the preceding emboidments of this invention can be employed. In this embodiment of the invention the air venting means comprises a small hole 80 located within the head or wall 26" of the piston 24". Preferably this hole 80 is just large enough so as to permit passage of air, and yet is small enough so as to prohibit or minimize the passage through it of any material used in the complete tube 70 as a result of surface tension or other related phenomena.

The complete tube 70 is assembled in substantially the same manner as the various other complete tubes of this invention previously described. When it is used and the piston 24" is brought to a final position as indicated in FIG. 7 the edge 78 of the ring 76 engages the wall 72 in about the area of the groove 74 so as to sever this wall from the complete piston 24". This permits material to be discharged from the compartment 38" through the neck 18".

A still further form or embodiment of a complete double compartment collapsible tube 90 of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9 of the drawings. With this construction the wall 34 of the complete tube 10 is replaced by a comparatively large opening 92 having a continuous shoulder 94 located around its periphery. A small flapper 96 adapted to seat against this shoulder is attached to the neck 30" of the piston 24" by a small flexible tab 98.

With this construction the flapper 96 acts essentially as a check valve in connection with the shoulder 94 around the opening 92, preventing material movement past the piston 24" from the compartment 36" into the compartment 38". However, when the piston 24" is moved to a so-called final position as indicated in FIG. 9 and there is no pressure against the flapper 96 exerted by material within the compartment 36" this flapper 96 will automatically open as pressure is applied to the compartment 38" so as to permit material from within this latter compartment to be discharged through the neck 18!!!- The complete tube 90 is assembled and used in substantially the same manner as the various complete tubes 10, 50 and 70 previously described. As it is assembled, and as it is used material within the compartment 36 exerts a pressure on a small flapper 96 keeping it in the closed position as illustrated in FIG. 8. However, this flapper 96 may be easily moved as described to an open position when the piston 24" is in a final position as shown in FIG. 9. Although no air venting means are shown in connection with the complete tube 90 any of the air venting means described in connection with the complete tubes 10, 50 and 70 can be employed in connection with this still further modified form or embodiment of the invention.

Another embodiment or form of a complete multiple compartment collapsible tube 100 of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. In this complete tube 100 the neck 30"" of the piston 24" is modified so as to dispense with the wall 32 used in the complete tube 10. This wall 32 is replaced by a valve structure including an annular flange 102 located interiorly within the neck 30" and by a small flap 104 positioned within this neck 30". The flap 104 may be connected to the interior of the neck 30" by a small flexible tab 106.

In the complete tube 100 this flap 104 is adapted to be pushed to an open position as shown in FIG. 11 by contact with a small annular ring 108 supported by an annular washer-like wall 110 mounted on the neck 18". In order to prevent any possibility of material accumulating between this ring 108 and the neck 18 so as to prevent the piston 24 from being moved to a final position as shown in FIG. 11 a small notch 112 is located within the ring. It will be noted that the ring 108 is dimensioned so as to extend into the neck 30 a suflicient distance to clearly displace the flap 104 when the piston 24" is located in a final position as shown in FIG. 11. This, of course, has the efi'ect of opening what is described herein as a valve means.

The complete tube 100 is, of course, very closely related to the various tubes 10, 50, 60 and previously described. It is assembled and used in substantially the same manner as any of these other tubes. When it is used and the piston 24"" is moved to a final position material can be dispensed directly from the compartment 38"". Although no venting means such as are described in connection with the complete tubes 10, 50 and 70 are illustrated in connection with the tube it is to be understood that any of the venting means previously indicated in connection with these other tubes if desired be used as tube 100.

From the aforegoing description those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains will realize that all of the various different complete tubes described may be easily and conveniently manufactured and assembled. They will also realize that these tubes may be easily used in sequentially dispensing two different compositions. In the interest of brevity and so as to conserve on the drawings required to illustrate the present invention the various diflferent venting means capable of being interchanged with one another have not been illustrated in connection with each individual embodiment or form of a complete tube of this invention.

Those skilled in the art will readily realize that any of the venting means described can be used with any of the embodiments of complete tubes of this invention. They will further realize that a number of other different changes may be made in the embodiments or forms illustrated through the exercise of routine engineering skill. As an example of such a change or modification any of the complete tubes described can be constructed so as to utilize more than one piston of the type indicated, the pistons nesting so that the materials separated by them are sequentially dispensed. For these reasons this invention is to be considered as being limited solely by the appended claims forming a part of this disclosure.

We claim:

1. A collapsible tube having a discharge end provided with a discharge opening and a normally closed end wherein the improvement comprises:

a piston located within said tube between the ends thereof so as to separate said tube into separate compartments which are capable of holding diiferent materials,

said piston being capable of being moved along the length of said tube to a final position in which said piston fits closely against said discharge end, and

means for discharging material from the compartment remote from said discharge end through said piston and said discharge opening when said piston is in said final position, said means for discharging being located on said piston.

2. A collapsible tube as claimed in claim 1 including air vent means for permitting air to escape past said piston when said piston is inserted into said tube through said normally closed end.

3. A collapsible tube as claimed in claim 2 wherein said air vent means are grooves located between said piston and the interior of said tube, said grooves being sufiiciently small to prevent the passage of material located within said compartments between the sides of said piston.

4. A collapsible tube as claimed in claim 2 wherein said air vent means comprises check valve means located on said piston, said check valve means permitting air to pass through said piston as said piston is inserted into said tube towards said discharge end, said check valve means being formed so as to be normally held closed by any material confined within the compartment remote from said discharge end.

5. A collapsible tube as claimed in claim 2 wherein said air vent means comprises a hole located within said piston so as to communicate between the sides thereof, said hole being sufficiently small to prevent the passage of material located within said compartments between the sides of said piston.

6. A collapsible tube as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for dispensing comprises an opening in said piston, said opening being located in said piston so as to be adjacent to said discharge opening when said piston is in said final position.

7. A collapsible tube as claimed in claim 6 including air vent means for permitting air to escape past said piston when said piston is inserted into said tube through said normally closed end.

8. A collapsible tube as claimed in claim 7 wherein said air vent means are grooves located between said piston and the interior of said tube, said grooves being sufficiently small to prevent the passage of material located within said compartments between the sides of said piston.

9. A collapsible tube as claimed in claim 7 wherein said air vent means comprises check valve means located on said piston, said check valve means permitting air to pass through said piston as said piston is inserted into said tube towards said discharge end, said check valve means being formed so as to be normally held closed by any material confined within the compartment remote from said discharge end.

10. A collapsible tube as claimed in claim 7 wherein said air vent means comprises a hole located within said piston so as to communicate between the sides thereof, said hole being sufiiciently small to prevent the passage of material located within said compartments between the sides of said piston.

11. A collapsible tube as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for discharging comprises a wall means located on said piston, said wall means being adapted to be severed from said piston when said piston is in said final position.

12. A collapsible tube as claimed in claim 11 including air vent means for permitting air to escape past said piston when said piston is inserted into said tube through said normally closed end.

13. A collapsible tube as claimed inclaim 12 wherein said air vent means are grooves located between said piston and the interior of said tube, said grooves being sutficiently small to prevent the passage of material located within said compartments between the sides of said piston.

14. A collapsible tube as claimed in claim 12 wherein said air vent means comprises check valve means located on said piston, said check valve means permitting air to pass through said piston as said piston is inserted into said tube towards said discharge end, said check valve means being formed so as to normally held closed by any material confined within the compartment remote from said discharge end.

15. A collapsible tube as claimed in claim 12 wherein said air vent means comprises a hole located within said piston so as to communicate between the sides thereof, said hole being sufiiciently small to prevent the passage of material located within said compartments between the sides of said piston.

16. A collapsible tube as claimed in claim 11 wherein said wall means projects from said tube through said discharge opening when said piston is in said final position.

17. A collapsible tube as'claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for discharging comprises a diaphragm means located on said piston and including means for severing said diaphragm means by engagement therewith located on said discharge end, said means for severing engaging said diaphragm means so as to severe said diaphragm means wherein said piston is moved to said final position.

18. A collapsible tube as claimed in claim 17 including air vent means for permitting air to escape past said piston when said piston is inserted into said tube through said normally closed end.

19. A collapsible tube as claimed in claim 18 wherein said air vent means are rooves located between said piston and the interior of said tube, said grooves being sufiiciently small to prevent the passage of material located within said compartments between the sides of said piston.

20. A collapsible tube as claimed in claim 18 wherein said air vent means comprises check valve means located on said piston, said check valve means permitting air to pass through said piston as said piston is inserted into said tube towards said discharge end, said check valve means being formed so as to be normally held closed by any material confined within the compartment remote from said discharge end.

21. A collapsible tube as claimed in claim 18 wheresaid air vent means comprises a hole located within said piston so as to communicate between the sides thereof, said hole being suificiently small to prevent the passage of material located within said compartments between the sides of said piston.

22. A collapsible tube as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for discharging comprises valve means located upon 'said piston so as to be located adjacent said discharge opening when said piston is in said final position and including means for engaging said valve means when said piston is in said final position so as to open said valve means when said piston is in said final position.

23. A collapsible tube as claimed in claim 22 including air vent means for permitting air to escape past said piston when said piston is inserted into said tube through said normally closed end.

24. A collapsible tube as claimed in claim 23 wherein said air vent means are grooves located between said piston and the interior of said tube, said grooves being sufficiently small to prevent the passage of material located within said compartments between the sides of said piston.

25. A collapsible tube as claimed in claim 23 wherein said air vent means comprising check valve means located on said piston, said check valve means permitting air to pass through said piston as said piston is inserted into said tube towards said discharge end, said check valve means being formed so as to be normally held closed by any material confined within the compartment remote from said discharge end.

26. A collapsible tube as claimed in claim 23 wherein said air vent means comprises a hole located within said piston so as to communicate between the sides thereof, said hole being sufficiently small to prevent the passage of material located within said compartments between the sides of said piston.

27. A collapsible tube as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for discharging comprises check valve means located on said piston so as to be adjacent to said discharge opening when said piston is in said final position, said check valve means permitting material to flow from within the compartment remote from said discharge opening through said piston.

28. A collapsible tube as claimed in claim 27 including air vent means for permitting air to escape past said piston when said piston is inserted into said tube through said normally closed end.

29. A collapsible tube as claimed in claim 28 wherein said air vent means are grooves located between said piston and the interior of said tube, said grooves being sufliciently small to prevent the passage of material located within said compartments between the sides of said piston.

30. A collapsible tube as claimed in claim 28 wherein said air vent means comprises check valve means located on said piston, said check valve means permitting air to pass through said piston as said piston 25 is inserted into said tube towards said discharge end,

said check valve means being formed so as to be normally held closed by any material confined within the compartment remote from said discharge end.

31. A collapsible tube as claimed in claim 28 wherein said air vent means comprises a hole located within said piston so as to communicate between the sides thereof, said hole being sufiiciently small to prevent the passage of material located within said compartments between the sides of said piston.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,176,923 10/1939 Nitardy 22294 2,361,647 10/ 1944 Nyden 222386 X 2,898,007 8/1959 Gassaway 222215 X 2,939,459 6/ 1960 Lazarte et al 1282.18 3,184,120 5/1965 Undi 222389 X 3,330,282 7/1967 Visser et al 128272 3,340,873 9/1967 Solowey 128218 ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

FREDERICK R. HANDREN, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE PATENT OFFICE Washington, 0.6. 20231 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 ,442 ,424 May 6 1969 Sam Prussin et al It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 3, line 30, after "It" insert be Column 5, line 7, "spring 76" should read ring 76 Column 6, line 35 after "tubes" insert can Column 7 line 72 "wherein" should read between Column 8 line 2 after "to" insert be line 21, "severe" should read sever Signed and sealed this 21st day of April 1970 (SEAL) Attest:

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr. E.

Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

